Running-gear for vehicles.



No. 664,8!8. Patentud Dec. 25, I900.

S. M. MURDER.

RUNNING GEAR FOB VEHICLES.

(Application filed Apr. 2, 1900.)

(No Modal.)

FIGJ- Unite STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL M. MORDEN, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ABRAHAM E. PERREN, OF SAME PLACE.

RUNNING-GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,818, dated. December 25, 1900.

Application filed April 2, 1900. Serial No. 11,199. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL .MELBOURNE MORDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful lmprovementsin Running-GearforVehicles; and I do hereby declare the following o be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 .is a perspective view of one end portion of the same. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. at is an enlarged section on the line it? 00, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 isasection on thelineg y, Fig. 1, showing one branch only of the axle without the connecting-fork. Fig. 6 is a detail side elevation of the connecting-fork.

The invention relates to the running-gear of vehicles, and particularly to the axle; and it consists in the novel construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, the letter A designates a branched bowed axle; 1?, the wood filling; O, a detachable spindle, and D a fork connection.

The body portion of the axle consists of two diverging branches, each having a straight transverse middle portion which curves downward at its ends in arched form, as indicated, and is formed at its ends with a socket e for the reception of a tenon-ping of the fork connection, which is secured ins-aid socket, preferably by means of small bolts. Each branch consists of an outer or top steel bow it, having a crescent shape in cross-section, the convexity being outward and upward and forming the top or outer steel shell, and an inner or bottom steel bow 70, also of crescent form in cross-section, the convexity being outward and downward and forming the bottom or inner steel shell. These shells come together at their end portions to form the socket portion 6, which engages a standard or tenonpin g of the fork connection, which is secured in place in any suitable manner, but preferably by means of small bolts 11 71, passing through perforations of the pin and shells. From the socket portions the shells diverge a little and cover in the top, bottom, and sides of the wood filling B, with the exception of the narrow opening between the shells along the sides, (indicated at s.) The wood filling is usually of elliptical cross-section rounded on the outer and top and inner or bottom surfaces to correspond with the concave surfaces of the steel shells. The ends of the wood filling are arched and tapered or made narrow to fit the arched end portions of the shells down to the socket portions, which are occupied by the tenon-pins of the fork connection. The shells may be welded to the connection; but this method of joining is objectionable, because it is liable to alter the temper of the steel. This arched branched steel-shell axle filled out with hickory forms an exceedingly light and strong support and is especially designed for the lighter form of speeding-vehicles. In each branch of this axle-body it will be observed that the side of the wood filling is very nearly tangent to the concave and convex curves of the shells, this forming a neat smooth lateral surface which can be readily finished to have avery handsome appearance. At intervals the outer and inner shells of each branch are connected by rivets passing through the wood filling and the thickest portions of the shells.

While the arched portion of the outer shell presents its transverse con vex surface toward the convexity of the arch, the arched portion of the inner shell presents its transverse concave surface toward this arch convexity, so that the wood filling is almost entirely covered in above and below.

The diverging arched portion of the branches of the axle-body are tied together with a bolt or bolts, (indicated atp,) said bolts passing through the wood filling and through the tubular braces g. This strengthens the body in the arched portions against racking or torsional action.

The connecting-fork D is provided with the standards or tenon-pins g g, formed with a shoulder bearing on a spindle heel piece or plate R, from which the spindle 0 projects. This spindle is preferably made detachable from the spindle-piece R in order to avoid injury to the temper of the part by welding. For this purpose the spindle-heel of the fork Lil connection is provided with an aperture or eye 15, which receives the tenon projection 10 of the spindle, said tenon passing through the eye and being secured in position by means of a nut or other fastening on its end bearing against the plate R. The spindle is also formed with a collar w, which bears against the outer surface of the piece R and braces the parts in position. The piece R and the spindle shoulder or collar are provided with stud-and-recess connection (indicated at z) in order that the spindle shall not turn, but remain always in position for proper bearing in the wheel-hub. This check device or lock against turning also serves to preventin great measure the unscrewing and loosening of the fastening-nut of the spindle. When the spin-- dle is worn or injured, it may very readily be taken 0% and replaced.

The invention is designed to providea very light and serviceable wood-filled steel axle which is very strong and durable. The wood is protected from moisture to a very large extent, so that itis not. liable to swell, and should there be any slight swelling it will only cause a closer relation between the shells and the filling; yet the shell is divided along the sides of the axle or longitudinally split or separated, so that the wood filling is not positively confined.

It will be noted that the upper and lower substantially semicylindrical shells of steel or the like separated laterally by a narrow slot or interval form a tube. The strain being greatest at the top and bottonnthese shells are beveled at their edges to make them of crescent form in cross-section, with the advantage of decreased weight without decrease in strength. For the same reason the shells may be separated laterally. In order to connect these shells rigidly together, a filling of wood or the like and the rivets are provided.

Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. An axle of tubular form, composed of upper and lowersubstantially semicylindrical sections of steel or the like of crescent form in cross-section, and separated from each other laterally by a narrow slot or interval, afilling of wood or the like, and means for connecting said sections and filling rigidly together, substantially as specified.

2. An axle, having upper and lower substantially semicylindrical steel shells, crescent form in cross-section, a wooden filling, and means for connecting said shells and filling rigidly together,substantially as specified.

3. A longitudinally-arched diverging twopartaxle, each said part having upper and lower steel shells crescent form in cross-section, and approaching each other at their end portions to form a socket, a wooden filling for such shells, and spindles having diverging tenon-pins engaging said sockets, substantially as specified.

4. A longitudinally-arched diverging twopart axle, each said part having upper and lower steel shells crescent form in cross-section and separated from each other laterally by a narrow interval, a wooden filling, and tie-bolts for said axle parts passing through said intervals, substantially as specified.

5. A longitudinally-arched diverging tw0 part axle, each said part having upper and lower steel shells crescent form in cross-section, a wooden filling'terrninating short of the extremities of said shells to leave sockets, and

spindles having diverging tenon-pins engaging such sockets, substantially as specified.

6. In an axle, the diverging arched twopart steel-shell axle-bodies, having wood fillings, and the tie-bolts and braces connecting W the arched portions,substantially as specified.

7. In an axle, the diverging arched twopart steel-shell axle-bodies, having wood fillin gs, and braces,and tie-bolts passing through the wood filling and connecting the arched portions of the bodies, substantially as speci- 8. An axle, consisting of diverging arched two-part wood-filled steel shells, having end sockets, spindle pieces having diverging tenon-pins engaging said sockets, andtie-andbrace connections at the arched portions, substantially as specified.

9. An axle, consisting of arched two-part steel-shell aXlebodies, spindle pieces" con- 7 sockets at their ends and wood fillings be-' tween the sockets, of a detachable spindle and a spindle-piece having diverging tenonpins engaging said sockets, and an eye engaging said spindle,substantially as specified. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature inpresence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL M. MORDEN.

Witnesses:

GEORGE M. ANDERSON, HARRY L. AMER. 

